American Heritage sweeps regional golf titles

Gary Curreri / Special to the Sun Sentinel

American Heritage freshman Jillian Bourdage shot a 2-under 70 to win medalist honors at regionals Monday and helped her team knock off the defending state champion, Archbishop McCarthy, at Lago Mar Country Club in Plantation.

American Heritage freshman Jillian Bourdage shot a 2-under 70 to win medalist honors at regionals Monday and helped her team knock off the defending state champion, Archbishop McCarthy, at Lago Mar Country Club in Plantation. (Gary Curreri / Special to the Sun Sentinel)

Anthony Wells lost his cell phone and range finder after his golf clubs went into a lake, but he rebounded to take medalist honors in the Region 8-2A competition with a 1-under 71 on Monday at Lago Mar Country Club.

Wells, a senior at Archbishop McCarthy, had just rolled in a 3-foot birdie putt on the Par-3, 127-yard 5th hole and couldn't locate his clubs as he prepared to move on to the next hole. He spotted an iron sticking out of the water and found his clubs submerged in the lake.

"I left my bag by the cart path and I guess I didn't set the brake on it," said Wells, who helped the Mavericks reach the state tournament for the first time in three years. He also went as a freshman. "I had the other guys looking for it and it took about 10 or 15 minutes. My range finder is still in the lake and my phone doesn't work anymore."

While Wells went on to bogey the sixth hole, Mavericks coach Carl Phillips drove to his truck and emptied his clubs and brought his bag out to Wells. They dried off the clubs, put them in Phillips' bag and completed the round.

"I tried not to think about it," Wells said. "I got everything dried off and winning medalist and the club mishap in my senior year is really memorable. This is actually the second time my clubs went into the water."

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Calvary Christian pitcher Christian Scott, coach Alan Kunkel and first baseman David Judge discuss the Eagles' win over Benjamin in a Class 4A state semifinal along with Bucs coach Jack Armstrong.

Calvary Christian pitcher Christian Scott, coach Alan Kunkel and first baseman David Judge discuss the Eagles' win over Benjamin in a Class 4A state semifinal along with Bucs coach Jack Armstrong.

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Calvary Christian pitcher Christian Scott, coach Alan Kunkel and first baseman David Judge discuss the Eagles' win over Benjamin in a Class 4A state semifinal along with Bucs coach Jack Armstrong.

Calvary Christian pitcher Christian Scott, coach Alan Kunkel and first baseman David Judge discuss the Eagles' win over Benjamin in a Class 4A state semifinal along with Bucs coach Jack Armstrong.

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North Broward Prep shortstop Xavier Edwards after the Eagles' regional final loss to Monsignor Pace.

North Broward Prep shortstop Xavier Edwards after the Eagles' regional final loss to Monsignor Pace.

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Miramar coach AJ Scott and new Dillard coach Toriano Morgan break down the 14-7 spring game win for Miramar from the two perspectives.

Miramar coach AJ Scott and new Dillard coach Toriano Morgan break down the 14-7 spring game win for Miramar from the two perspectives.

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American Heritage players Triston Casas, Cory Acton and Ryan Cabarcas and coach Bruce Aven discuss after the Patriots top Archbishop McCarthy in a regional semifinal.

American Heritage players Triston Casas, Cory Acton and Ryan Cabarcas and coach Bruce Aven discuss after the Patriots top Archbishop McCarthy in a regional semifinal.

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Kassandra Espinosa, Jasmin Herrera and coach Phil Schmalz react as Cooper City tops St. Thomas to advance to states.

Kassandra Espinosa, Jasmin Herrera and coach Phil Schmalz react as Cooper City tops St. Thomas to advance to states.

After carding a 10-over 81 to finish fifth in district play last week, Wells said he didn't want to put any pressure on himself. He birdied 2, 5, 11 and 14, with bogeys on 6, 10 and 18 en route to medalist honors.

"He didn't have a great round last week," Phillips said. "Despite the drama out there on five, he held it together and I am real proud of him."

American Heritage's carded a 290 total to win the regional tournament by 20 strokes over runner-up Archbishop McCarthy. Senior Jonathan Cachon and junior Alberto Martinez each shot 72, while freshmen Jude Kim and Leo Herrera both shot 73s.

"The way we set up our matches and travel, I try to make the kids uncomfortable so that when they get into something like this being uncomfortable becomes the norm," said American Heritage boys coach Brandt Moser

Cardinal Gibbons shot 312 and narrowly missed going to state, however Julius Boros earned one of the two individual qualifying spots with a 72.

American Heritage freshman Jillian Bourdage won medalist honors for the girls with a 2-under, 70. Her round included birdies on 5, 6, 15 and 18 and bogeys on 3 and 11. Her effort led the Patriots to a 297 and a 10-shot win over the defending Class 2A state champion, Archbishop McCarthy.

"I felt like I played really well today," said Bourdage, who finished seventh at the Class 2A state tournament last year and helped the Patriots to a runner-up finish behind Archbishop McCarthy last year. She repeated as regional medalist. "I struggled a bit with my irons, but towards the end, I got it together."

In the only other head-to-head meeting between the two schools, the Mavericks posted a three-stroke win over rival American Heritage in the Lady Cougar Invitational at Quail Creek Country Club in Naples last month.

Eighth-grader Casey Weidenfeld shot a 73 to finish second for American Heritage, which carded its best round of the season by nine strokes. The Mavericks got three 76s from Christen Simons, GiGi Garcia and Brooke Benedetto.

"It's always tight with Archbishop McCarthy," said Heritage girls coach Linda Sibio. "We wanted to come out here and have everyone shoot their best at one time and that's what they did."